


^\\o 



Iavvv.. 

Charter and By-Laws 

OF 

Oberlin College 



With Amendments to Date of 
January 1, 19 IG 



Gift 

Mrs.Wm.H. Baldwin 
Feb. 25 1927 



^^^^^-021771 



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\ 

Charter of Oberlin College 

AN ACT TO INCORPORATE THE OBERLIN COLLEGIATE 

INSTITUTE 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of 
Ohio, That Henry Brown, John Keys, Eliphalet Redington, Joel Talcott, 
Addison Tracy, Jabez L. Burrell, Philip P. Stewart,* Peter P. Pease, 
and John J. Shipherd, of the county of Lorain, and their associates and 
successors, be, and they are hereby created a body politic and corporate, 
to be styled the Board of Trustees of the Oberlin Collegiate Institute, 
and, by that name, to remain in perpetual succession, with full power 
to sue and be sued, to plead and be impleaded, to acquire, hold, and con- 
vey property, real and personal, to have and use a common seal, to alter 
and renew the same at pleasure ; to make and alter, from time to time, 
such by-laws as they may deem necessary for the government of said 
institution, its officers, students, and servants : Provided, such by-laws 
shall not be inconsistent with the Constitution and laws of the United 
States and of this State; also, to have power to confer on those whom 
they may deem worthy, such honors and degrees as are usually con- 
ferred in similar institutions. 

Sec. 2. That the said institution shall remain where it is now 
located, in Russia, Lorain County, and shall afford instruction in the 
liberal arts and sciences ; and the Trustees may, as they shall find them- 
selves able, and the public good shall require, erect additional depart- 
ments for such other branches of education as they may think necessary 
or useful. 

Sec. 3. That the Board of Trustees shall, from time to time, ap- 
point a President and other officers and instructors, and also agents 
of the institution as may be necessary ; and shall have power to displace 
and remove any or either of them for good and sufficient reasons; and 
also to increase the number of their Board to twelve, exclusive of the 
President, fill vacancies which may occur by resignation, death, or 
otherwise in said Board or among said officers or agents, and pre- 
scribe and direct the course of study to be pursued in said institution 
and its departments. 

Sec. 4. The President of the institution shall be ex-oiHcio a mem- 
ber of the Board of Trustees, and President of the same, and in 



*Name printed in original article of incorporation as Philip P. Stewart; 
should have been Philo P. Stewart. 



4 OBERLIS COLLEGE 

his absence the Board shall elect one of its members to preside for the 
time being, and if any of said Trustees shall be permanently appointed 
President of said institution his office as Trustee shall be deemed 
vacant, and the Board of Trustees shall fill the same. 

Sec. 5. Any seven of the twelve members of the Board of Trus- 
tees shall constitute a quorum to do business ; and the Board shall 
hold their first annual meeting on the second Monday of March, 1834, 
at Oberlin, in the Township of Russia, in Lorain County, and after- 
wards they shall meet on their own appointment; but, in case of neces- 
sity-, the President, with the advice of two Trustees, may call a special 
meeting of the Board, or any five members of the Board may call such 
a meeting by giving notice to each member at least seven days before 
the time of said meeting. 

Sec. 6. The Board of Trustees shall faithfully apply all funds 
by them collected and received, according tc their best judgment, in 
erecting suitable buildings, supporting the necessary- officers, instruc- 
tors, and agents, and in procuring books, maps, charts, and other ap- 
paratus necessary- to the well-being and success of the institution : 
Provided, nevertheless, that in case any donations or bequests shall be 
made for particular purposes not inconsistent with the designs of this 
institution, and the Trustees shall accept and receive the same, every 
such donation or bequest shall be applied in conformity' to the condi- 
tions or designs of the donor. 

Sec. 7. The Treasurer of the institution shall always, and all 
other agents when required, before entering on the duties of their ap- 
pointments, give bonds for the security of the corporation and the 
public in such penal sum, and with such securities as the Board of 
Trustees shall approve ; and all process against the corporation shall 
be by summons, and the service of the same shall be by leaving an at- 
tested copy thereof with the Treasurer of the institution, at least ten 
days before the return thereof. 

Sec. 8. The Legislature shall have a right to amend, or repeal, 
this act when they deem it necessary : Provided, that no fund or prop- 
erty' belonging to the said institution shall ever be b^' law appropriated 
to any other purpose than those named in this Charter. 

John H. Keith, 
Speaker of the House of Representatives. 
David T. Disney, 

Speaker of the Senate. 
Passed, Februarv 2?. 1834. 



CHARTER AND BY-LAWS 5 

AN ACT TO AMEND THE ACT ENTITLED "AN ACT TO IN- 
CORPORATE THE OBERLIN COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE" 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State 
of Ohio, That from and after the passage of this act, the name and 
title of The Oberlin Collegiate Institute, at Oberlin, Lorain County, 
be changed to the name of Oberlin College; subject to all the pro- 
visions and enactments of an act to incorporate the "Oberlin Collegiate 
Institute," passed February 2, 1834,* and the acts amendatory thereto, 

Benjamin F. Leiter, 

Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

Charles C. Converse, 

Secretary of the Senate. 
Passed, March 21, 1850. 



AN ACT TO AMEND SUPPLEMENTARY SECTION 3771 a 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of 
Ohio, That supplementary Section 3771a of the Revised Statutes of 
Ohio, passed April 15, 1889, be so amended as to read as follows : 

Section 3771a. The Board of Trustees of any university or col- 
lege heretofore incorporated, but not under the patronage of confer- 
ences or other ecclesiastical bodies of any religious denomination, as 
described in Section 3736, may increase the number of such Trustees 
to twenty-four, exclusive of the president, or a less number, and may 
divide said Trustees into six f classes, each class to serve six years, 
and one class to be chosen each year, for said term ; but one trustee of 
each class may be chosen by the votes of the alumni of such university 
or college, if the Board of Trustees shall so provide by by-law, in which 
case it shall also be the duty of the Board of Trustees to provide, by 
such by-laws, a method of nominating and electing such appointee of 



*The date here given is erroneous. It should have been. February 28, 1834. 

tThe Act of April 15, 1889 (86 Ohio Laws, 341), corresponded with this, 
except that by clerical error it used the word "four" at this point. 

Trustees J. D. Cox, J. E. Ingersoll, and E. W. Metcalf, committee, in their 
report, January 27, 1892, speak of this legislation thus: 

"Your committee on a former reference of the matter to them found that 
there was then no legislation authorizing the election of Alumni Trustees in 
colleges not under the patronage of ecclesiastical organizations. They drafted 
an amendatory section of the general corporation laws of the state, and by the 
efficient aid of the members of the General Assembly from Lorain County, pro- 
cured its enactment. It now stands as Section 3771a of the Revised Statutes. 

A clerical error crept into the printed copy of the bill, for this purpose, 
and passed into the enacted law. To modify this, your committee proposed a 
further amendment and with the same aid as before secured its enactment. 
It corrects Section 3771a of the Revised Statutes, and is found in the Laws of 
Ohio, annual. Volume 87 (for 1890), page 188." 



OBERLIX COLLEGE 

the alumni. The President of such universit}- or college shall, ex-officio, 
be a Trustee perpetually, and shall not be included in the classes going 
out in rotation. If it shall be necessary, in the first enlargement of the 
board of Trustees, under this section, to distribute new members to 
the several classes, whose terms shall expire by rotation, the distri- 
bution may be made in such manner as the Board may direct, so that 
no Trustee shall be elected for a longer term than six years. 

Sec. 2. That said original supplementar>' Section 3771 a, be and 
the same is hereby repealed ; and this act shall take effect on its passage. 

NiAL R. Hysell, 
Speaker of the House of Representatives. 
Perry M. Adams, 
President pro tern, of the Senate. 
Passed, April 11, 1S90. 



GENERAL CODE OF THE STATE OF OHIO (1910) 

The preceding Act (3771a) appears in the General Code of the 
State of Ohio (codification of 1910) as follows : 

Section 997S. The board of trustees of a university or college 
heretofore incorporated, but not under the patronage of conferences or 
other ecclesiastical bodies of any religious denomination, may increase 
the number of such trustees to twenty-four, exclusive of the president, 
or a less number, and divide such trustees into six classes, each class 
to serve six years, and one class to be chosen each year, for such term. 
One trustee of each class may be chosen by the votes of the alumni 
of such university- or college, if the board of trustees so provides by 
by-law, in which case the board also shall provide by such by-laws 
a method of nominating and electing such appointee of the alumni. 

Section 9979. The president of such universitj' or college shall 
ex-officio, be a trustee perpetually, and not be included in the classes 
going out in rotation. If in the first enlargement of the board of trus- 
tees, under the preceding section, it be necessarj- to distribute new 
members to the several classes, whose terms will expire by rotation, 
the distribution may be made in such manner as the board directs so 
that no trustee shall be elected for a longer term than six years. 



BY-LAWS 

Contents of By-Laws 

Article I. Of the Trustees, their Number, Manner of Selection and 
Terms of Office ; Alumni Trustees. 

Article II. Of the Officers of the Board; Terms of Office; Salaries. 

Article III. Of the President's Office; the President; the Assistant 
to the President. 

Article IV. Of the Treasurer. 

Article V. Of the Records of the Corporation ; the Secretary. 

Article VI. Of Finance; the Investment Committee; the Auditing 
Committee, 

Article VII. Of the Committee on Appointments. 

Article VIII. Of the Prudential Committee. 

Article IX. Of the Faculties. 

Article X. Of the General Council. 

Article XL Of the Heads of Departments; of Departmental Coun- 
cils. 

Article XII. Of the Oversight of Student Life. 

Article XIII. Of Degrees; of the Committee on Honorary Degrees. 

Article XIV. Of the Meetings of the Board of Trustees; Order of 
Business. 

Article XV. Of the Advisory Committees. 
Article XVI. Of Amendments. 



By-Laws of Oberlin College 

[Adopted by the Board of Trustees, November 18, 1905, corrected 
to date of January 1, 1916.] 

ARTICLE I 

Of the Trustees: Their Number, Manner of Selection and Terms 
OF Office; Alumni Trustees 

Section 1. Pursuant to the Act of the General Assembly of Ohio 
passed April 11, 1890, this Board now consists of 24 Trustees, divided 
into six classes, providing for 4 Trustees in each class, who hold office 
for terms of six years each. 

The membership of the Board at the time of the adoption of the 
By-laws was as follows : term expires January 1, 1906, H. Clark Ford, 
Homer H. Johnson, Sydney D. Strong, James O. Troup; term expires 
January 1, 1907, Frederick N. Finney, Edward J. Goodrich, Lx)uis H. 
Severance, Lucien C. Warner; term expires January 1, 1908, William 
C. Cochran, Franklin S. Fitch, Irving W. Metcalf, Merritt Starr; term 
expires January 1, 1909, Amzi L. Barber, Charles Finney Cox, William 
N. Gates, Judson Smith ; term expires January 1, 1910, Dudley P. Allen, 
John G. W. Cowles, Charles S. Mills, Henry M. Tenney; term expires 
January 1, 1911, Theodore E. Burton, Paul D. Cravath, Charles J. 
Ryder, Charles B. Shedd. 

Sec. 2. At the annual meeting preceding the expiration of the 
terms of any class of the Trustees as aforesaid, three Trustees shall 
be elected by the Board for a term of six years to fill three places in 
said class ; the fourth shall be elected by the Alumni as hereinafter 
provided. 

The term of office of each Trustee shall begin at 12 o'clock m. 
on January the first next following his election and expires six years 
thereafter. 

Sec. 3. Nine Trustees shall constitute a quorum of the Board. 

Sec. 4. A standing committee of three members of the Board, on 
nominations to fill vacancies in the Board of Trustees, shall be chosen 
at each annual meeting of the Board. 

The Secretary shall notify said committee of any vacancy which 
mav occur in the Board. 



CHARTER AND BY-LAWS 9 

Said committee shall thereupon (except in the case of President 
or among the Alumni Trustees) invite nominations to fill such vacancy 
from all members of the Board; and at the next meeting of the Board 
report, nominating at least two persons for each such vacancy. 

At any election to fill such vacancy the Board may choose from the 
persons so nominated or otherwise. 

Sec 5. Clause 1. One Trustee of the College, who shall be an 
Alumnus of Oberlin College, shall be elected each year by the Alumni 
and shall hold his office for six years, being one of the class of four in 
the Board of Trustees annually elected. 

Sec. 5. Clause 2. The Alumni for the purpose of such election 
shall be held to comprise regular graduates of the College, from any 
course of study in the Theological Seminary, from the College of Arts 
and Sciences, and former courses whose work is comprised therein, and 
from the Conservatory of Music, and also any person upon whom the 
College has conferred an honorary degree. 

Sec. 5. Clause 3. The election shall be conducted by the Secre- 
tary of the College as follows : On or about the first of May in each 
year a printed blank or slip shall be sent to each of the Alumni whose 
residence is known, on which slip the name of the outgoing Alumni 
Trustee shall be given and a nomination requested for the ensuing 
term as his successor, and said slip shall also show the names and 
residences of all the members of the Board of Trustees, with designa- 
tion of those who are Alumni Trustees. 

Upon the first of August such nomination shall be canvassed by 
the Secretary and Librarian of the College and the result tabulated and 
entered upon the College records. The Secretary shall send out, as 
before, printed tickets containing the five names of the nominees hav- 
ing the highest number of nominating votes, * on which shall be stated 
the date of graduation, the residence and occupation of each of such 
nominees, and each of the Alumni may mark his choice of one of said 
five and return his ballot to said Secretary; the ballot cards for for- 
eign countries shall be mailed on August 15th, and for the United 
States, on October 1st. t On the first of November the Secretary and 
Librarian shall canvass the ballots cast, and the person who shall have 
the highest number of votes shall be declared elected. The result shall 



*At the meeting of the Board of Trustees held November 14, 1913, the 
Secretary reported that one of the five nominees had asked that his name be 
withdrawn from the final ballot. It was agreed that the Board of Canvassers shall 
have the power to withdraw any name from the final ballot, where the nominee 
so requests, substituting therefor the name of the person who received the next 
highest number of nominating votes. 

tAs amended Novem.ber 13, 1908. 



10 OBERLIN COLLEGE 

be tabulated and recorded as before, and the canvassing officers shall 
notify the Board of Trustees and the Trustee-elect of the election. 

Sec. 5. Clause 4. In case of the sickness, absence, or other dis- 
ability of the Secretary or Librarian, or both, his or their duties in the 
matter of such election shall be performed by such substitutes as the 
President of the College may appoint. 

Sec. d. Clause 5. * In case any alumni trustees should die or 
resign before the regular notices for the preliminary ballot have been 
mailed, the notices should state the fact of such death or resignation 
and call for nominations of an alumni trustee to serve for the unex- 
pired term. Should such vacancy occur after the regular notices have 
been mailed and before August 1st, new notices shall be mailed calling 
for such nominations. Should such vacancy occur after August 1st, 
nominations to fill such vacancy shall be called for in the notices sent 
out the following year. The ballot tickets to be sent out by the Secre- 
tary shall contain six names and the alumni shall be asked to vote for 
two candidates when two Alumni Trustees are to be elected, and so on. 

Sec. 5. Clause 6. In case of a tie vote, the canvassers shall report 
the fact to the President, and the President shall by lot determine be- 
tween the candidates. 

Sec. 5. Clause 7. The term of each Alumni Trustee shall be 
coincident with that of the class of Trustees to which he is elected. 

Sec. 6. No person while a teacher in the institution shall be elig- 
ible to election as a Trustee except by election as President and ex- 
officio Trustee. 

Sec. 7. No denominational test is imposed in the choice of trus- 
tees, officers, or teachers, or in the admission of students, nor are dis- 
tinctly denominational tenets or doctrines taught to the students. 

ARTICLE II 

Of the Officers of the Board; Terms of Office; Salaries 

Section 1. The officers of the Board (other than the President 
provided for by the Charter) shall be a Treasurer, and a Secretary. 

Sec. 2. The President, Treasurer, and Secretary shall respectively 
be chosen by ballot and shall hold office during the pleasure of the 
Board. 



*.\s amended June 17, 190'i 



CHARTER AND BY-LAWS H 

Sec. 3. The salaries of the President, Treasurer, and Secretary 
shall be fixed for each fiscal year of the College at least three months 
prior to the beginning of said year and not be changed during the year. 
If not otherwise fixed the salary of any year shall be the same as that 
for the preceding year. 

ARTICLE III 

Of the President's Office: the President; the Assistant to the 

President 

Section 1. The President shall be chosen by ballot and when 
chosen shall serve during the pleasure of the Board. 

Sec. 2. He shall be ex-ofUcio a member of the Board, and shalJ 
preside at all its meetings. 

Sec. 3. He shall have power to call special meetings of the Board 
at any time on seven days' written notice mailed to the Trustees at 
their last known addresses respectively. 

Sec. 4.* He shall supervise the work of all departments and offi- 
cers, agents, teachers and employes of the College. He shall also par- 
ticipate at his discretion in the outside representation of the College, 
and he shall be primarily responsible, in cooperation with the Board 
of Trustees, for the financial development of the College, including 
especially the direction of all matters relating to augmenting its re- 
sources. 

Sec. 5. He shall be ex-oificio a member of the Prudential Com- 
mittee and of the Investment Committee. 

Sec. 6. He shall be Chairman of the General Council and of the 
General Faculty, and of all subordinate councils and faculties. 

Sec. 7, He may attend any meeting of any committee or body 
subordinate to the Board or to any of the faculties, and share in the 
deliberations thereof, but without vote unless made a member of such 
subordinate body or committee, and he is cx-officio Chairman of the 
Committee on Appointments of the General Council, and of the Com- 
mittee on Nominations of the General Faculty. 

Sec. 8. He may grant temporary leave of absence to any officer, 
agent, teacher, or employe. 

Sec. 9.* He may, with the approval of the General Council and of 

*As .-imcndod Juiu> 1!», liUl. 



]•: OBERLIN COLLEGE 

the Prudential Committee, suspend any officer, agent, teacher, or em- 
ploye of the College, reporting his reasons therefor in writing to the 
next meeting of the Board, the action to be subject to the approval of 
the Board. 

Sec. 10. He shall perform all duties imposed by law upon the 
executive head of the corporation. 

Sec. 11. He shall prepare and distribute to the Trustees as early 
as practicable prior to the time fixed by by-law for the annual meeting 
a report in writing or print of the affairs and condition of the College, 
the work of the previous year, and such recommendations and sugges- 
tions as he may deem fit. Such report may include reports from the 
heads of departments of administration, and from other officers at the 
discretion of the President 

Sec. 12. The Assistant to the President, who shall not be a mem- 
ber of the Board of Trustees, shall cooperate with the President in 
strengthening and developing the College on ever>- side. He shall be 
especially charged, in consultation with the President, with the work of 
maintaining and enlarging the friendly and supporting constituency 
of the College, and of increasing its material resources. He shall par- 
ticularly seek to make close and helpful the relation between the Col- 
lege and its alumni and former students, and shall be responsible, im- 
officially, for the progress of the Living Endo\STnent Fund. 

Sec. 13. He shall be ex-ofhcio a member of the Prudential Com- 
mittee, a member of the General Faculty- with the rank of Professor, 
and a member of the Faculty- Committee on Supervision of Appeals 
to Alumni. 

Sec. 14. He shall each year, or oftener if desired, give to the 
Trustees a full report of his activities. 

ARTICLE IV 

Of the Treasltreii 

Section 1. The Treasurer, who shall not be a member of the 
Board of Trustees, shall have charge of matters of Finance and 
Accounts. He shall have the custody of all the funds, securities, in-r 
vestments, muniments of title, indicia of ownership, assets, properties, 
choses in action, accounts and items of credit and things receivable by 
or belonging to the College. He shall be ex-officio a member of the 
Investment Committee and Secretary- thereof. He shall also be ex- 
oMcio a member of the Prudential Committee. 



CHARTER AND BY-LAWS 13 

*Any trust company or corporation organized under the laws of 
Ohio and authorized by these laws to act as trustee of trust funds and 
active trusts shall be eligible to be chosen and hold office as Treasurer 
of the College, or to become depositary and trustee of funds under the 
direction of the Board of Trustees, as the Board may from time to 
time direct. 

Sec. 2. He shall annually give bond for the faithful performance 
of the duties of his office in the sum of $50,000, with a surety company 
as surety, to be approved by the Board, the expense of which shall be 
borne by the corporation. The Board may, from time to time, require 
additional bonds from the Treasurer. 

Sec. 3. He shall keep in just and accurate books of account, 
records of all the assets, liabilities, resources and obligations, receipts 
and expenditures and financial and property transactions of the cor- 
poration. Said books shall include separate and distinct accounts of 
all the trust funds held by the College, with record of the manner and 
form in which the same are invested, and the receipts and disburse- 
ments thereof. An annual balancing and rest shall be written upon 
said books of account, and an annual balance sheet and report shall be 
prepared and furnished by the Treasurer to the Trustees at least one 
month prior to the time fixed by by-law for the annual meeting. 

Sec. 4. He shall furnish to the Prudential Committee, and to the 
General Council at least one month prior to the time fixed by by-law 
for the annual meeting of the Trustees a statement of the receipts and 
expenditures of the past and current year, and the probable receipts as 
estimated by himself for the ensuing year, for use by these bodies and 
the Trustees in preparing budgets for the ensuing year ; and shall keep 
in well bound and indexed books provided for that purpose copies of 
such statements and budgets for each year. 

Sec. 5. Each department, except the Conservatory as hereinafter 
provided for, shall contribute for the share of that department in the 
general (or university) expenses of the institution which are for the 
corporation as a whole and not assignable to any one department, such 
sums as may be determined by the Trustees from time to time. 

Sec. 6. In the case of the Conservatory any excess of receipts 
over expenses shall be used to form a surplus fund to meet possible 
deficits in other years, or, upon vote of the Trustees, to be used in 



*As amended June 14, 1915. 



14 OBERLIS COLLEGE 

the development of the department.* The Conservatory shall contribute 
toward the university expenses such amount as shall be determined 
from time to time by vote of the Trustees based upon what shall seem 
upon careful investigation to be equity in the matter. 

Sec. 7. To each department shall be credited all funds given for 
the endowment of that department and the income from such endow- 
ment shall be devoted to the support and development of departmental 
work. 

Sec. 8. All undesignated funds, all funds donated for general en- 
dowment purposes and all funds designated for specific purposes of 
general interest shall be classed as general (or university) funds. From 
the income of these funds, with the exception of funds designated for 
specific purposes, shall be paid general (or university) expenses proper 
(t. e., expenses for the benefit of the corporation as a whole and not 
assignable to any one department), and the deficits, if authorized by the 
Board, of all departments except the Conservatory, and the remainder 
of said income shall be devoted to the use of the department of Arts 
and Sciences; but all remaining subject to the disposition of the 
Trustees. 

Sec. 9. The financial year shall begin with September 1st of each 
year and close with August 31st next following. 

Sec. 10. The Treasurer shall, from time to time, print and dis- 
tribute to the Trustees for the information of Trustees, copies of the 
college charter, of the statutes of Ohio especially applicable to the 
college, of these by-laws, and of the several special deeds, agreements 
and instruments of trust prescribing and defining the terms of the 
trusts upon which the property of the corporation is held. 

Sec. 11. t There shall be an Assistant Treasurer appointed by the 
Board of Trustees who shall assist the Treasurer in the performance 
of his duties and be subject to his direction. The Assistant Treasurer 
shall annually give bond for the faithful performance of the duties of 
his office in the sum of $20,000, with a surety company as surety, to be 
approved by the Board, the expense of which shall be borne by the 
corporation. At the discretion of the Prudential Committee other 
clerks in the Treasurer's office may be required to furnish bond, in 
amounts to be decided by the Committee, the expense of which shall 
be borne by the corporation. 



•This rule is based upon the agreement between the Trustees and Professor 
F. B. Rice, of the Conservatory, as recorded in the vote of the Trustees, June 
29, 18S5, as follows: "That a definite salary be paid to the Director and Teachers 
of the Conservatory, for which the College shall be responsible as in the case 
of other teachers; it being understood that all the receipts of the Conservatory 
shall be devoted to its uses and that the Conservatory shall be self-sustaining." 

tAs amended June 20. 1910. 



CHARTER AND BY-LAWS I5, 

ARTICLE V* 

Of the Records of the Corporation; the Secretary 

Section 1. The Secretary, who shall not be a member of the 
Board of Trustees, shall have charge of the records and correspondence 
of the corporation. 

Sec 3. He shall be the Secretary of the Board of Trustees,. 
ex-oMcio a member of the Prudential Committee, and Secretary thereof. 
He shall keep records of the members present and of the proceedings 
of each of these bodies at all meetings. At the opening of each meeting, 
of these bodies respectively the record of its proceedings shall be read 
Dy the Secretary unless otherwise ordered. 

Sec. 3. He shall preserve the records of such proceedings in well- 
bound books, and the same shall be open to the inspection of any 
member of the Board of Trustees or of the General Council at all 
reasonable times. 

Sec. 4. He shall conduct such correspondence as pertains to his 
office or as the President may require. 

Sec. 5. He shall prepare and distribute to the Trustees at least 
one week prior to the time fixed by by-law for the annual meeting the 
proceedings during the previous year of the several bodies for which 
he keeps the records. He shall make a report in writing or print,, 
showing the statistics of the officers of instruction and government,, 
and of the students of the College, the list of courses of studies taught 
and the number of students therein, during the previous year, with 
such comparisons and tables as will exhibit to the Trustees the present 
work of the College and the tendencies thereof. The Secretary may at 
any time of his own motion, or as he may be directed by the Trustees, 
make further reports of any matter pertaining to his office or conduct. 

Sec 6. He shall mail a written notification to each Trustee of all 
regular or special meetings of the Board. He shall give ample notifi- 
cation of all special meetings of faculties and committees of which he 
keeps the records, to the members of such bodies respectively in ac- 
cordance with the by-laws or the directions of such bodies. 

Sec 7. He shall, under the direction of the President and Gen- 
eral Faculty, prepare and publish the annual catalogues of the College, 
containing lists of the officers, teachers, employes, and students, and 
statements of courses of study; he shall also prepare the quinquennial 



*As amended Juno ;?0, 1!)1(), and June :::5, l!)l:}. 



\(^ OBERLIS COLLEGE 

catalogue of officers, teachers, and alumni, and such other catalogues, 
prospectuses, announcements, bulletins, and documents as the President 
or General Faculty- may direct- 

Sec. S. He shall produce at each meeting of any of the bodies 
whose records he keeps, the records for the current year and for the 
preceding meetings. He shall also acquaint the presiding officer in 
writing what business is by assignment to come before the body, and 
what committees are outstanding, and what committees have and have 
not reported, what reports are received and awaiting action, and, so 
far as practicable, what business remains unfinished from previous 
meetings. For the meetings of the Board of Trustees, the Secretary, in 
consultation with the President, and in accordance with the order of 
business prescribed in Article XIV of the By-Laws, shall prepare a 
detailed docket, to be sent to the Trustees one week before each regular 
meeting. 

Sec. 9. He shall be custodian of the seal of the corporation. 

The seal of the corporation, which was adopted on the ISth day 
of Februarj-, 1S52, and which has since then been in use, is hereby con- 
tinued. Said seal is circular in form with two enclosing circles dis- 
pla>-ing upon the enclosed field a representation of a held of grain and 
a college building, and in the margin below, the motto. Learning and 
Labor; and in the margin above, the name of the College, all as here 
impressed or portrayed, viz. :* 




Sec. 10. All reports of committees involving the expenditure of 
money shall be in writing, and, unless otherwise ordered, preserved in 
files bv the Secretarv. 



•The seal here shown is a new drawing, authorized by the Board of Trustees 
by vote of June 19. I'^ll. The former seal had become indistinct from long 
tisa^. In order that ijtxirc seals may not varj from the present drawing, four 
plaster casts of the sea! have been made. These are permanently placed as 
follows: One in the President's office, one in the Secretary's office, one in tbc 
Treasurer's office, and ore in the College Library. 



CHARTER AND BY-LAWS 17 

Sec. 11. The Secretary shall keep the records, reports, and docu- 
ments in his custody so classified, arranged and indexed as to be ac- 
cessible to the Trustees at all times. 

Sec. 12. All resignations of office by any officer or member of the 
Board, or by any member of any of the Faculties, shall be in writing, 
and kept on file with the Secretary. 

Sec. 13. He shall perform all duties imposed by law on the Sec- 
retary, Clerk, or Recording officer of the corporation, unless the same 
is otherwise lawfully provided for by by-laws. 

Sec. 14.* There shall be an Assistant Secretary, appointed by the 
Board of Trustees, who shall assist the Secretary in the performance 
of his duties and be subject to his direction. The Assistant Secretary 
shall be a member of the General Faculty, the College Faculty, the 
General Council, and the College Council, with rank of Associate 
Professor. , 

ARTICLE VI 

Of Finance; the Investment Committee; the Auditing Committee 

Section 1. The Trustees shall at each semi-annual meeting adopt 
a Budget to be known as the Annual Appropriation Budget, appropriat- 
ing to special objects so far as they deem wise the moneys to be ex- 
pended during the next following financial year. Other appropriations 
may be made at semi-annual meetings or at called meetings ; but no 
money shall be expended except by vote of the Trustees appropriating 
the same, or by vote of the Prudential Committee as provided in Article 
VIII, Section 3. 

Sec. 2. No such annual appropriation budget shall be adopted by 
the Board, and no other appropriation at any time shall be made, ap- 
propriating in the aggregate more moneys to be expended during any 
current financial year than the amount of the estimated probable re- 
ceipts shown by the Treasurer's statement, unless at such meeting it 
shall be adopted by the ballots in favor thereof of three-fourths of the 
members of the Board of Trustees present. 

Sec. 3. In making appropriations the Trustees may designate what 
moneys are to be expended under the direction of the different com- 
mittees and subordinate faculties of the different departments. 

Sec. 4. An Investment Committee shall be appointed annually by 
the Trustees, which shall superintend all investments of College funds. 



'As adopted June 2.S. 191.V 



18 OBERLIS COLLEGE 

It shall consist of six members, viz. : the President and Treasurer of 
the College and four members of the Board. 

The Investment Committee shall hold its meetings at such times 
and places as the committee may select. 

The Treasurer shall be Secretary of the Investment Committee 
and keep permanent records of its proceedings. 

No investment shall be made in which any member of the Com- 
mittee has a pecuniary interest. 

The Investment Committee shall at each annual meeting submit 
to the Trustees a fu41 and complete statement of the nature and con- 
dition of all investments, and a copy of all the proceedings for the 
preceding year. 

Sec. 5. Each Departmental Council shall annually prepare and 
send to the General Council a statement and proposal for a Budget 
which shall show the receipts and expenditures of that department for 
the past year and the probable receipts and proposed expenditures for 
the ensuing year. 

Sec. 6. In case of the proposed organization of a new department 
the following principle shall govern : So long as the Departmental and 
General Endowments remain inadequate to meet the demands upon the 
corporation as at present constituted, a new department shall be added 
only when a sum has been acquired for that specific purpose, the income 
of which is sufficient to meet the expenses of the proposed department, 
together with its equitable share of the general (or university-) ex- 
penses, or when the tuitions of the proposed department are so estab- 
lished that the income therefrom shall cover the above named expenses. 

Sec. 7. An Auditing Committee of two members shall be chosen 
at each annual meeting of the Trustees, who shall hold office for one 
year. Such committee shall examine and audit the books and accounts 
of the Treasurer at least once in the year and at such other times during 
the year as they see fit. They may employ expert accountants to assist 
in such work, and shall report the result of their examination in 
writing to the Board. The reports of the Auditing Committee shall be 
preserved in well-bound books kept for that purpose. 

ARTICLE VII 

Of the Committee on Appointments 

Section 1. A Committee on Appointment shall be selected an- 
nually by the Trustees, which shall consist of four Trustees, to which 
shall stand referred all nominations from the General Council or 



CHARTER AND BY-LAWS ig 

Otherwise for the appointment of professors, instructors, or teachers, 
for their consideration and report. 

Sec. 2. The Departmental Councils shall have the right to make, 
through the General Council, nominations of professors or instructors 
in their respective departments. The right is reserved to the Trustees 
to make and consider such nominations and appointments as they 
see fit. 

Sec. 3. To this Committee shall be referred all important pro- 
posed changes in courses of study, and all nominations of professors 
and instructors coming from the General Council ; and by this Commit- 
tee these changes and nominations shall be presented to the Board with 
its recommendations. 

ARTICLE VIII 

Of the Prudential Committee 

Section 1. A Prudential Committee shall be chosen by the Trus- 
tees at each annual meeting, consisting of the President, the Assistant 
to the President, the Treasurer, the Secretary, and seven others, to whom 
shall be entrusted the management of the concerns of the Board of 
Trustees according to the direction of the Board in the intervals when 
the Board is not in session. Five members shall constitute a quorum. 

Sec. 2. The Prudential Committee shall administer the affairs of 
the College which are not especially intrusted to the President, Treas- 
urer, Secretary, Faculty, or other Committees of the Trustees. 

Sec. 3. Any expenditure not previously authorized by the Trustees 
can be made only on the approval of the Prudential Committee. 

Sec. 4. In all affairs of minor importance the action of the Pru- 
dential Committee, subject to the adoption of such action by the Trus- 
tees at their meetings, shall be final; but on any matters of importance 
which admit of delay, final action shall be reserved and presented to 
the Trustees with their recommendation. 

Sec. 5. The General Council shall annually prepare and submit 
to the Trustees a budget for all departments. Said budget of the 
General Council shall be transmitted to the Prudential Committee 
before it is transmitted to the Trustees, and- the Prudential Committee 
may indicate their approval of the proposed budget, or may submit the 
same with amendments, or may transmit with the same an independent 
budget. 



20 OBERLIN COLLEGE 

Sec. 6. In case of peculiar exigencies, such as that of a vacancy 
in the Faculty occurring in the intervals between meetings of the Trus- 
tees, the Prudential Committee, on the nomination of the Departmental 
Council through the General Council, may make a temporary appoint- 
ment to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the current school year. 

Sec. 7. General supplies shall be purchased by the Superintendent 
of Buildings and Grounds or by the Treasurer; special supplies may 
be purchased by the head of the department of administration or in- 
struction, in whose hands special funds have been placed under the 
budget. Purchases shall be made only as provided by the budget or 
by the vote of the Prudential Committee. All bills shall be presented 
to the Treasurer, shall be paid by him direct, and with the vouchers 
shall be filed in the records of his office. 

Sec. 8. Charges by the corporation for rooms, board, and other 
commodities, if supplied by the corporation, shall be determined by the 
Prudential Committee subject to the approval of the trustees. 

Sec. 9. The amount of the term bills and students' fees shall be 
determined by the Board of Trustees in annual meeting, and in the 
absence of action thereon at any annual meeting shall be the same as 
for the preceding year, but subject to change at the beginning of any 
year. 

Sec. 10. The Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds shall be 
chosen by the Trustees and shall have immediate supervision of the 
buildings and grounds of the corporation, under the direction of the 
Prudential Committee, and shall make annual reports in writing thereon. 

ARTICLE IX 

Of the Faculties 

Section 1. The General Faculty are intrusted with the manage- 
ment of the internal affairs of the College, but must obtain the con- 
currence of the Trustees in order to introduce any important change 
affecting the established methods or principles of administration. 

Sec. 2. The instruction given by the College is distributed among 
the following departments, viz. : 

(1) The College of Arts and Sciences, which may for con- 
venience be called "the College," and shall have charge of all instruc- 
tion given by the corporation not specifically conferred on other de- 
partments. 



CHARTER AND BY-LAWS 21 

(2) The Theological Seminary, which shall have special charge 
of instruction in theology. (The work of the Slavic Department is also 
committed to the Theological Seminary). 

(3) The Academy, which shall have special charge of the in- 
struction in secondary studies.* 

. (4) The Conservatory of Music, which shall have special charge 
of instruction in music. 

Sec. 3. The General Faculty shall consist of the President, the 
Assistant to the President, the Deans, the Director of the Conservatory 
of Music, the Principal of the Academy, the Secretary, the Librarian, 
the Registrar, all the Professors, all Acting, Associate, and Assistant 
Professors in all departments, and all Instructors in the College, Sem- 
inary, and Academy. [By amendment adopted June 23, 1913, the As- 
sistant Secretary is a member of the General Faculty.] 

Sec. 4.t A permanent appointment as full Professor, Associate Pro- 
fessor, Instructor, or other employe in any department shall be one 
that has been made to hold during the pleasure of the Board of Trus- 
tees. 

Sec. 5. The Professors, Acting, Associate, and Assistant Profes- 
sors, Deans, and Instructors in each department shall constitute the 
Department Faculty; except that the Academy and Conservatory 
Faculties shall include all teachers of these departments. [By amend- 
ment adopted November 15, 1907, the Secretary, the Registrar, and the 
Assistant to the President are members of the Faculty of Arts and 
Sciences ; by amendment adopted June 23, 1913, the Assistant Secretary 
is also a member of this Faculty.] 

Sec. 6. Each Departmental Faculty shall, subject to the approval 
of the General Faculty, prescribe regulations and scholarly requirements 
for admission to the Department, the studies and courses of study 
therein, time of residence and attendance, conditions for examination, 
theses and terms of graduation, and the conditions for any degree other 
than honorary degrees, and may make recommendations thereon. 

Sec. 7. Students will not be admitted to become candidates for a 
degree in any department until, upon examination by the Faculty of 
Arts and Sciences, they are found to have educational attainments 
equivalent to the college entrance requirements, as determined by the 
Faculty of Arts and Sciences under approval of the General Faculty, 



*By vote of the Board of Trustees November 12, 1915, the AcadtMuy dop 
merit is to be discontinued at the close of the year 1915-lC. 
tAs amended June 19, 1911. 



22 OBERLIX COLLEGE 

subject to alteration and approval by the Board of Trustees. Students 
seeking to be enrolled in any department other than the Academy, 
and who, upon examination, are not found to have such attainments, 
shall be enrolled and separately catalogued. 

Sec. 8. The General Faculty' may make or approve regulations 
for the assigning and distribution of the scholarships and aids within 
the disposition of the corporation, for the allotment of rooms in the 
dormitories, for the uses of the Library, laboratories, gjTnnasiums, 
grounds, buildings and property' held and designated for school use, 
and for the conduct of students, classes, and associations of students 
in all departments, and for the general welfare, subject to the approval 
of the Trustees. 

Sec. 9. Each Faculty shall report through the General Faculty' 
such permanent or important rules and regulations as it may make to 
the Board of Trustees at the next regular meeting following their 
adoption, and all such rules and regulations shall be compiled and 
printed for the information of the Board from time to time. 

Sec. 10. The Treasurer and General Faculty shall jointly report 
annually in writing to the Trustees the amount of the income received 
from the scholarship funds and beneficiary aid funds of all kinds, the 
uses made thereof, and the names of the holders of the more important 
scholarships, and the standing attained by such holders. 

Such reports shall be preserved in separate well-bound books pro- 
vided for that purpose. 

Sec. 11. Every member of the Faculty will, in addition to the 
special instruction of his chair, render a reasonable share of the 
general service which comes upon the Faculty in common, so far as 
the interests of the College can be thus secured. The responsibilities, 
opportunities, and privileges involved in the representation of the cor- 
poration abroad are to be distributed in like manner. 

The President and General Faculty will decide all questions that 
may arise as to the apportionment of such general service, responsibili- 
ties, opportunities, and privileges. 

Sec. 12. The scholastic control of all the students is committed 
primarily to the respective teachers to whose classes they are assigned, 
then to the Faculty of the department concerned, and then to the 
General Faculty. The Trustees do not receive appeals from the stu- 
dents in regard to any matter of discipline or order administered by 
the General Facultv. 



CHARTER AND BY-LAWS 23 

Sec. 13 * Each instructor has the general control of his own 
classes, limited by any general regulations adopted by the Faculty of the 
department concerned or by the General Faculty. An aggrieved pupil 
always has the privilege of appealing to the Faculty. 

Sec. 14. Each instructor in the case of a brief necessary absence 
from his work is expected to make such arrangement as he can for 
his classes, securing the approval of the President or of the General 
Faculty for the arrangement. 

Sec. 15. When application shall be made to the Trustees by any 
teacher for leave of absence for any considerable time with a contin- 
uance of salary, or part thereof, the granting of such application 
imposes the obligation on the applicant to return at the close of such 
leave and continue in the service of the corporation for a reasonable 
time thereafter, or refund the salary paid during absence. 

ARTICLE X 
Of the General Council 

fThe President, the Assistant to the President, the Deans, the 
Director of the Conservatory of Music, the Principal of the Academy, 
the Secretary, the Assistant Secretary, the Librarian, and the permanent 
full professors and the permanent associate professors of all depart- 
ments of the College, shall form a General Council, whose duties shall 
be to receive from the Departmental Councils all nominations for ap- 
pointments, and to transmit the same to the Board of Trustees with 
their recommendations. To this Council shall be committed also the 
approval of departmental Budgets and the preparation of the annual 
proposal for a Budget for general purposes, except that only two 
Conservatory professors shall vote on the General Budget. [By vote of 
the trustees (March 10, 1897), the Council is requested to place nom- 
inations of new appointments in the hands of the Trustee Committee 
on Appointments not less than three weeks before the date of the 
Trustee meeting.] 

ARTICLE XI 

Of the Heads of Dei-aktments ; of Depautmentai. Coi'niils 

Section 1. The following officers shall be known as heads of 
departments of administration, viz. : The Dean of the College of Arts 
and Sciences, the Dean of the Theological Seminary, the Principal of 
the Academy, and the Director of the Conservatory of Music. 



*As amended June 19, 1911. 

tAs amended June 19, 1911, and June 23, 1913. 



2-4 OBERLIN COLLEGE 

Sec. 2.* The head of each department shall be its executive officer, 
and Vice-Chairman of its Departmental Council and Faculty. He may 
attend any meeting of any committee of the Departmental Faculty, 
and share in its deliberations, but without vote unless made a member 
of the Committee, and he is ex-ofUcio Chairman of the Committee on 
Appointments and of the Committee on Budget of the Depart- 
mental Council, and Chairman of the Committee on Nominations of 
the Departmental Faculty. He shall have general charge of the inter- 
ests of the department. 

The Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences shall cooperate 
with the President in the administration of the department. He shall 
be especially charged with the duty of studying the problems of college 
education and keeping abreast of the general progress in that field; 
of collecting, digesting, and recording in permanent form significant 
data concerning the work of the department, especially with reference 
to the effectiveness and economy of administration, the conditions 
and results of teaching, and the scholarship, life, and interests of the 
student body; and of devising, subject to the approval of the President 
and the sanction of the Faculty, such improvements in the policy and 
practice of the department as circumstances shall from time to time re- 
quire. He shall further have, in addition to the duties imposed upon 
him by the chairmanships attached to his office, primary responsibility 
for carrying out all policies and regulations adopted by the depart- 
mental Faculty and Council ; for the instruction of new teachers of 
the department in the details of college policy and practice; for securing 
prompt rendering of customary reports by officers, teachers, and com- 
mittees ; and, in general, for supervision of the routine administration 
and the necessary clerical work of the department. 

*Each Departmental Council shall consist of the President, the 
head of the department, the Deans, and the permanent full professors 
and the permanent associate professors of that department, except 
that in the Academy the Council shall consist of the President, the 
Principal, and all instructors upon permanent appointment. [By vote 
of June 23, 1913, the Assistant Secretary was made a member of the 
College Council.] 

The Departmental Council of each department shall have charge 
of Departmental Appointments and the Departmental Budget. It shall 
communicate to the Board of Trustees, through the General Council, 
its acts and recommendations. 



•As amended June 19, 1911, and Tune 23, J913. 



CHARTER AND BY-LAli'S 25 

ARTICLE XII* 

Of the Oversight of Student Life 

Section 1. Oversight of the life of the men of the College of 
Arts and Sciences, including discipline and general supervision of the 
interests of the men, is primarily committed to the Dean of College 
Men; of the men of other departments to the heads of those depart- 
ments respectively; all under the direction of the General Committee 
on Discipline and of the General Faculty. , . 

Sec. 2. The Dean of College Men shall be appointed by the ballot 
of the Trustees, on the nomination of the General Council, and shall 
hold office during the pleasure of the Board of Trustees. He shall 
be ex-oMcio Chairman of the General Committee on Discipline. 

Sec. 3. The General Committee on Discipline shall consist of the 
President, the Dean of College Men, and the heads of the several 
departments, together with three other members who shall be elected 
by the General Faculty. 

Sec. 4. In cases of discipline which in the judgment of the Com- 
mittee require the imposition of the penalty of probation, suspension, 
or expulsion, the action of the Committee shall be subject to approval 
by the General Faculty before being put into effect. In all other cases 
the Committee shall act with power. 

Sec. 5. Oversight of the life of the women of the several depart- 
ments, including discipline and general supervision of the interests 
of the women, is primarily committed to the Dean of College Women, 
the Dean of Conservatory Women, and the Dean of Academy Women, 
respectively, under the direction of the Women's Board and the General 
Faculty. 

Sec. 6. The Deans of Women shall be appointed by ballot of the 
Trustees, on the nomination of the General Council, and shall hold 
office during the pleasure of the Board of Trustees. They shall be 
ex-oMcio members of the Women's Board, and the Dean of College 
women shall be ex-officio Chairman of the Women's Board. 

Sec. 7. The Deans of Women, shall, in addition to having primary 
responsibility for oversight of the life of the women of their respective 
departments, constitute a committee of conference on all the general 
interests of the women of the College. All cases of discipline requir- 
ing action by the Women's Board shall be brought first before this 
committee, and action shall be recommended by them to the Board. 



"As amended November 17, 1911. 



26 OBERLIN COLLEGE 

The Dean of College Women shall be ex-ofHcio Chairman of the com- 
mittee. 

Sec. 8. The Women's Board shall consist of the three Deans of 
Women above mentioned, together with six other members, who shall 
be chosen by the General Faculty from the Women's Advisory Com- 
mittee. 

Sec. 9. The Women's Board shall hold meetings at the call of the 
Dean of College Women, or upon the request of three other members. 
The Board shall constitute an advisory body for the Deans of Women 
on all matters pertaining to the welfare and the conduct of the women 
of the college. 

Sec. 10. The Women's Board shall from time to time recommend 
to the General Faculty the adoption of such rules and regulations as 
may be found necessary or desirable for the direction of the life of 
the women of the College. In cases of discipline, the Women's Board 
shall, with the concurrence of the President and the Head of the De- 
partment concerned, act with power; but the aggrieved person shall 
always have the right to appeal from the Board to the General 
Faculty. 

Sec. 11. The women of all Faculties shall constitute a Women's 
Advisory Committee of which the Dean of College Women shall be 
ex-oMcio Chairman. The purpose of this organization shall be 
to study the needs of the women and the possibilities of their higher 
development. Recommendations of the Committee shall be made 
through the Women's Board to the General Faculty. Regular meet- 
ings of the Committee shall be held three times a year ; other meetings 
shall be held at the call of the Dean of College Women or upon 
request of three other members of the Committee. 

ARTICLE XIII 
Of Degrees; of the Committee ox Honorary Degrees 

Section 1. The Trustees will consider eligible for the degree of 
Bachelor of Arts (A. B.) any person nominated by the Faculty of Arts 
and Sciences through the General Faculty who has completed a four 
years' course of study in the arts and sciences and passed examinations 
satisfactory to the Departmental Faculty. 

This shall not preclude the conferring of any other primary degree 
on proper occasion for work performed. 

Sec. 2. The trustees will consider eligible for the degree of Bach- 
elor of Divinity (D. B.) any person nominated by the Faculty of the 



CHARTER AND BY-LAWS 27 

Theological Seminary through the General Faculty who has thereto- 
fore received a degree from an institution approved for the purpose 
by the Departmental Faculty, representing four years of study in the 
arts and sciences, and has completed a three years' course of study in 
theology and passed examinations satisfactory to the Departmental 
Faculty. 

Sec. 3. The Trustees will consider eligible for the degree of 
Bachelor of Music (Mus.B.) any person nominated by the Faculty of the 
Conservatory of Music through the General Faculty who has there- 
tofore, upon examination by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, been 
found to have educational attainments equivalent to the College 
entrance requirements, and has completed a course of study in music 
equivalent to at least four years' work therein, and passed examina- 
tions satisfactory to the Departmental Faculty. 

Sec. 4. Certificates of merit may be given by the General Faculty 
upon nomination of the Departmental Faculty for work done by stu- 
dents in any department. 

Sec. 5. The Trustees will consider eligible for the degree of 
Master of Arts (A.M.) any person nominated by the General Faculty 
and holding the degree of A. B. from this corporation, or holding a 
degree deemed equivalent thereto by the General Faculty, who, while 
in residence, shall have completed a one year's course of study in the 
arts and sciences and passed examinations satisfactory to the Faculty 
of the College of Arts and Sciences, and shall have satisfactorily met 
the requirements published in the annual catalogue governing grad- 
uate study. 

Sec. 6.* The trustees will consider eligible for the degree of Master 
of Divinity (S.T.M.) any person nominated by the Faculty of the 
Theological Seminary through the General Faculty and holding the 
degree of Bachelor of Divinity (D.B.) from this corporation, or 
holding a degree deemed equivalent thereto by the General Faculty, 
who, while in residence, shall have completed a fourth year of theolog- 
ical study and passed examinations satisfactory to the Faculty of the 
Theological Seminary. 

Sec. 7. The Board may at any time, by a vote of three-fourths of 
the members present, confer honoris causa on those whom they may 
deem worthy, such honors and degrees as are usually conferred 
honoris causa in similar institutions. 

Sec. 8. A committee on honorary degrees shall be appointed an- 
nually, consisting of the President and two Trustees. 



'As amended June 23, 1913. 



28 OBERLIN COLLEGE 

Sec. 9. All proposals for honorary degrees shall be made through 
the President of the College and shall be in writing, stating the reasons 
upon which the proposal is based. 

Sec. 10. Proposals for honorary degrees shall be referred by the 
President to the Committee and also to a similar Committee appointed 
by the General Faculty from its own members. If either Committee 
recommends the proposal to the Board action will be taken thereon. 

The reasons should show the person proposed entitled to the honor 
upon one or more of the following grounds: 

(1) That he is the author of some original work of such a char- 
acter as to leave no doubt of the learning, attainments, and literary 
and professional ability of the writer ; or, 

(2) That in addition to the other claims for recognition for dis- 
tinguished ability and learning he holds an honorable office, position in 
some university, college or school of law, of medicine, of theology, or 
of science, of good repute in this country or elsewhere; or, 

(3) That he is a man of acknowledged eminence in some one or 
fnove of the following directions, viz.: (o) in letters, or (b) in science, 
or (c) in some of the learned professions, or (d) in the public service. 

ARTICLE XIV 
Of the Meetings of the Board of Trustees 

Section 1. The regular meetings of the Board shall be as follows: 
The annual meeting,* which shall occur in Oberlin on the second 

Friday before Thanksgiving Day each year. 

The semi-annual meeting, which shall occur in Oberlin on the 

Monday preceding commencement. 

Sec. 2. Special and called meetings may be held at any time in 
accordance with the charter. 

If at any time between regular meetings the President shall ascer- 
tain that a majority of the Trustees prefer a later date for any regular 
meeting, the President may postpone the same from the dates fixed 
above to any date not more than four weeks thereafter, and of which 
regular notice shall be given. 

Sec. 3. No nomination of a member of the Board of Trustees 
(other than the Alumni Trustees), nor of a permanent professor, shall 
be ratified by the Trustees, and no person shall be elected a President, 



'As amended June 17, 1907. 



CHARTER AND BY-LAWS 29 

Treasurer, Secretary, head of department, a Trustee, or permanent pro- 
fessor except at a regular meeting, or at a special meeting held on at 
least seven days' notice. 

Sec. 4. There shall always be presented to the Board of Trustees 
in well-bound books kept for that purpose, signed copies of such votes 
of the Committees and Faculties as are laid before the Board of Trus- 
tees for confirmation. 

Sec. 5. Order of Business. 

At the regular meetings of the Board the order of business, unless 
changed by vote, shall be as follows : 

(1) Call to order; prayer; roll-call. 

(2) Reading of minutes of preceding meeting and action thereon. 

(3) Reading of proceedings of Prudential Committee and action 
thereon. 

(4) Reports (with their Exhibits). 

(a) of President; 

(b) of Treasurer; 

(c) of Auditing Committee; 

(d) of Investment Committee. 

(5) Reports of other standing committees. 

(a) of Committee on Appointments; 

(b) of Committee on Nomination of Trustees; 

(c) of Committee on Honorary Degrees. 

(6) Report of Special Committees. 

(7) Report of Advisory Committees, 

(8) Unfinished Business. 

(9) New Business. 

Sec. 6. Roberts' Rules of Order, so far as applicable, shall be the 
parliamentary authority of the Board. 

ARTICLE XV 

Of the Advisory Committees 

Section 1. Permanent Advisory Committees shall be chosen for 
each of the following departments or branches of the corporation and 
its work : 

a. The Seminary. 

b. The Academy. 

c. The Conservatory. 

d. The Course of Instruction in Drawing and Painting. 



30 OBERLIN COLLEGE 

e. The Library. 

/. The Ancient Languages. 

g. The Modern Languages. 

h. Philosophy. 

i. History, 

y. Mathematics. 

k. The Biological Sciences. 

/. The Physical Sciences. 

m. The Athletics, Discipline, Gymnasium, and Physical Training 

for Men. 

n. The Athletics, Discipline, Gymnasium, and Physical Training 

for Women. 

0. Economics, Political Science, and Sociology. 

Sec. 2. Each Advisory Committee shall have power to visit the 
department or portion of the College to which it is assigned, and to 
inspect and examine the work and conditions therein. 

Sec. 3. Each Advisory Committee shall make a report, in writing, 
at least once in three years, and also at such other times as the Com- 
mittee may desire, or the Board of Trustees may from time to time 
request, to the Board of Trustees upon the work, conditions, merits, 
and needs of the department or portion of the College to which it is 
assigned. Such report may also embrace any recommendations or other 
matters which the Committee see fit to incorporate therein. Such Com- 
mittee may also make further reports whenever they desire or the 
Board of Trustees may request. The reports of the Advisory Committee 
shall be preserved in well-bound books for that purpose and suitably 
indexed for the use of the Trustees and officers of instruction and 
government of the corporation. 

Sec. 4. Such reports shall be filed with the Secretary of the Board 
of Trustees at least three weeks prior to the annual meeting of the 
Board, and in the discretion of the President be distributed to the Trus- 
tees with the other reports. 

Sec. 5. Each Advisory Committee shall consist of three members, 
one of whom shall be a member of the Board of Trustees. The Com- 
mittees shall be chosen as follows: At the meeting of the Board of 
Trustees occurring next after the adoption hereof, the Board of Trus- 
tees shall appoint the members of each Advisory Committee. The 
names of the members of each Committee so appointed shall thereupon 
be divided by lot into three classes, consisting of one member whose 
term shall be for three years, one member whose term shall be for two 
years, and one member whose term shall be for one year. At each 



CHARTER AND BY-LAWS 31 

annual meeting of the Board of Trustees thereafter the successors to 
the members whose terms expire thereat shall be chosen for the term 
of three years. 

Sec. 6. The term of each member of a Committee shall begin at 
the close of the meeting at which he is appointed. 

Sec. 7. Any vacancy in the Advisory Committees occurring when 
the Board of Trustees is not in session may be filled by appointment by 
the President for the unexpired term. 

Sec. 8. The meetings of the Committees shall be held at such time 
as they may elect or provide by rule therefor, or as the President from 
time to time requests. 

Sec. 9. The several Advisory Committees may, at the request of 
the Board of Trustees, or at their own option, assemble at any time for 
conference together, in which case they shall organize in accordance 
with parliamentary usage for temporary organization. 

ARTICLE XVI 
Of Amendments 

Amendments to these By-Laws may be adopted at any regular 
meeting, or at any special meeting notice of which with the amendment 
proposed shall have been given at least seven days before the meeting. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

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